The BBC One's singing contest was half a million viewers down on last year. An average of 7.2m viewers tuned in to watch Jermain Jackman win Series 3

Tom Jones wiping away tears as judge Will.i.am spoke to performer Liz, who explained she was still getting over the loss of her adopted mother

The Voice drew its lowest ever average audience for a final show - down more than half a million viewers on last year.

BBC One's singing contest slumped to an average of 6.6 million viewers, a drop from an average of 7.2 million viewers who tuned in to watch the 2013 final, won by Northern Irish singer Andrea Begley.

The final of this year's series - the third of the talent show - has pulled in the fewest viewers for a final in the history of the programme.

The final of the first series, won by Leanne Mitchell, had an average of 7.1 million viewers. At the programme's peak last night, it had an audience of 8.3 million and the BBC said it was the most-watched programme of the night. This year's final was won by 19-year-old Jermain Jackman.

In an interview for the Graham Norton Show on BBC1, she said: "I don't know as of yet, because I'm going on tour later in the year. But all I can say is that I enjoyed the experience and it's not over yet.

"As a life experience it's really been something. It challenged me and I know so much more about that type of thing than I did six months ago."

Minogue joined the series this year along with Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson, appearing alongside Sir Tom Jones and Will.I.Am who have been coaches since the show began in 2012.The BBC is committed to a further two series of The Voice.

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